Having completed our Venetian workshop, we are now traveling solo. We stopped at Lake Garda, Italy for a couple of days, which was very pretty. After that we embarked on our 8 hour driving odyssey through the perilous switchbacks of the Alps. We have been going back and forth between lake Geneva and lake Thun in Switzerland, and the views have been amazing! Also, a day of relaxation in Luzern.

Our diet has been suffering somewhat due to the local fare. It seems that since cheese is their specialty, they serve it at every meal. Breakfast consists of bread and cheese, lunch is cheese and meats and dinner is potatoes and cheese. Did I mention that they eat a lot of cheese?

More to come from France…

This was the kick off of the first Venice painting workshop which ended up as a complete success. It was five days of amazing settings for inspiration, along with fantastic weather and camaraderie. The students’ enthusiasm and intensity was bolstered by the atmosphere of Venice and with the occasional serenade from the passing gondoliers. I think that the food, wine and Gelato may have also played a part in energizing everyone. Here are 2 pictures of our group painting in Burano, a colorful island off of Venice known for lace-making, and the second one as everyone intensely paints a quiet typical Venetian canal.

I can’t believe we’re only 2 days away from our painting / photography workshop in Venice! In a couple of days, our group will be experiencing the sights, sounds and passion of Venice as we are immersed in Italian culture. From the bell tower at St. Mark’s, to the vibrant hues of the homes on Burano, to the romantic Grand Canal, we’ll be capturing all of those moments and more on canvas and film.

Here is our 2 minute video on YouTube with highlights from Venice, so that you can experience some of the magic with us! Check back over the next couple of weeks, as I hope to update my blog as we travel.